AC / heat pump good or not so?
- Thread starter jnutt
- Start date
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
I'll give you my 2 cents
We have 2 of them and really never use them. Being in California we don't really use a lot of heat and the fireplace provides most of it for us.. If it is that cold I'll usually use the furnace because i wan't the heat to start at the floor and let it rise. I also find the heat pumps to be very loud and annoying. I guess in the summer for AC cooling were OK with it.
However I'm glad we have them. If we were to run out of propane or the furnace were to quit we'd have them as backup.
Hope this helps
Jerrod
RoadJunkie
Well-known member
I cannot advise on whether or not heat pumps will be "worth it" for you, but we love and use ours as the primary go-to method of heat for temps above 40 degrees. Like the air conditioners, the effectiveness of keeping a balanced temperature is to circulate the air, we use a couple of small fans. We leave the living room unit on at night (we blocked the vent connection between front and rear) and then wake up to a toasty area. I would buy them again.
SLO
Well-known member
I'm with Jerrod. We have two heat pumps and usually use the furnace as well. I find when it's cold in the morning the furnace heats up the trailer much much quicker. If it's cold enough the heat pumps don't heat up the basement and underbelly. But, sometime the heat pumps are sufficient and I don't have to use the propane. I'm glad I have the heat pumps too.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
vakthund
Well-known member
We have the heat pump option and in 5 years have used it once. It seems effective to me only down to about 40 degrees. Below that you will likely use the furnace and anything above 50 you probably don''t need heat. So, it you camp a lot in fall and or early spring where the temperature is in the 40 - 50 and you camp at sites that includes electric in the price then heat pump is worth it. I will not order it on my next camper (which my wife says is never.)
Erik
Bob Vaughn
Well-known member
Back in may we had trouble with our Dometic A/C so we opted to go with the Atwood Heat Pump.....the A/C works good but a few weeks back it got into the 40's at night so I turned it on.....it did not work as advertised....It would run a couple of minutes then shut off...and cycle on an off all night never affecting the temp inside the camper. I could not get the furnace to come on.....So after the mobile guy that installed it came and checked it he could not determine what was wrong and I had to take it to his shop. After 2 days of tinkering with it he still does not know what is wrong with it. I think I made a mistake getting the heat pump but maybe if he gets it fixed and it works maybe I will change my mind......
esscobra
Well-known member
so much nicer setting thermostat to auto - and when you leave its 80 and come home that night to the 40s and heat is already on- much better using the electric you pay for than finding more propane- now when its going to freeze- yeah use furnace and protect underbelly - but for southern states the heat pumps are great- and im so glad I ordered both units .
Bob Vaughn
Well-known member
This is a fine testament but mine has a mind of its own and does what it wants to do, not what I want it to do.....
mountainlovers76
Mississippi Chapter Leaders
I have two heat pumps and love them. As long as temps are in the high 30s or more they sure save a lot of propane and keep the coach really cozy. Freezing or below, I use two small ceramic heaters along with occasionally the fireplace and keep the coach nice and warm still without using propane. I installed an inline 4" duct fan behind the front storage area that draws heated air from inside the coach via the furnace vent in the bedroom steps and blows it into the underbelly. If the temps get low enough that the ceramic heaters can not keep the coach at 68 to 70, then the propane furnace kicks in. This usually has been around 5 to 10 degrees or so outside depending on wind. All without any skirting.
Ricky
Bob Vaughn
Well-known member
If it is an Atwood take it to the dump.....they are junk and there is no customer service .....
